Combined loose pulley and clutch.



S. L. MoADAMS.

COMBINED LOOSE PULLEY AND OLUTGH.

APPLIOATION FILED 00:13.12, 1910.

1,01 1,355,. Patented D@.12,191-1.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' "sYLvEsrEn. Li HQADAMS, or cLnvEI-mn, fonio, 5min; "1'0 was nun-Manuals 'WHEEL column, or onnvananu; 01,110, a coaromnon or omo.

; To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, 'SYLVESTER. L. Mo-

' .ADA'MS, a citizen of the United. States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented 'acertain. new and useful Improvement in Combined Loose Pulleys and Clutches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to combined loose pulleys and clutches and has for its object the provision of a device of the character, stated, which is simple in construction, efii-.

cient both as a clutch and loose pulley .is constructed particularly with a view of 1mproving the lubrication of the bearing sur-- My invention in its broad aspect comprises a combined loose pulley and clutch including a spider or hub portion which is fixed'to the shaft and a pulley which is in the form of an oil inclosure or container to which a quantityof oil or other lubricant is adapted to be supplied and which is supported or has a hearing at the outer portion of the spider, either on the outer ends of the spider arms or on a member carried by them, so that when the pulley is rotating freely on the spider, the bearin surfaces are in the medium of the oil Wl'llCll' is thrown out wardly by centrifugal force and further the pulley or inclosure is constructed especially with a view of preventing oil' from escaping along the surface of the shaft, the oil which is thrown inwardly to the shaft being thrown outwardly again toward the periphe'ry of the pulley before it can escape through the shaft openings in the sides of. the pulley. The oil is thrown back. to the interior of the pulley so as to cause a complete circulation by the particular construction of the sides or side walls, as will be explained.

The specific form of clutching mechanism may be varied somewhat, but by means of a sleeve and suitable clutch fingers which are engaged thereby," clutching device or devices carried by the outer portion of the spider may be forced against the inner periphery of the pulley rim so as to cause the pulley and the spider to be driven in unison.

In one form of my invention, the clutching means comprises an expansible ring which is carried by the ends of the spider arms and COMBINED Loose runner AND onurcn.

Specification of Letters latent. Patented Dec. 12, 19 11- Application, flled oetober 12, 1910. Serial R0. [8 8,591. i

nor-mall serves as a bearing for the sfpulley but is A by the sleeve and spreadlng fingers engaged thereby so asjto tightly engage or clutch the inner surface of the pulley rim. In another form of this part of my invention, the pulley bears directly on the outer ends of the spider arms and is designed to be clutched. to the; spider by clutching members which are carried by the spider arms and are adapted to be shifted, as in the first case, blyl' Ifnteans of an axially moving sleeve on the s a eslgned to be spread or expanded The pulley consists of a rim and inwardly extending sides which are closed except for a the shaft openings which are slightly larger than the shaft so that the edges or periph- :ries of the openings are out of engagement with the shaft. The side portions of the pulley adjacent the shaft openings areprovided with means forpreventing any escape of oil from the inclosure through the openings oralong the surface of the shaft.

My invention may be further briefly summarized as consisting in certain novel de-- 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same;

Fig. .3 is a perspective view of an expansible clutch ring and bearing .member for the loose pulley, shown on a slightly reduced scale; Fig. 4.- is a' perspective view of one of the clutch fingers or arms which cooperate with the. sleeve to spread the expansible ring; Fig. 5 is a similar view of an oil guard plate whichis fitted on the interior of the pulley on one side of the spider. and clutch ring, the plate being shown on a, reduced scale; Fig. 6 is aside view with one side plate removed of a modified form of the invention; Fig. 7 is a sectional view substantially along the irregular line 77 of Fig.

6 looking, 1n the direction indicated by the. arrows; and Fig.8 is a perspective view of one of the clutch members carried by the outer end'of the spider.

Referring now to the fi res of the drawing and first to the modlfication shown in Figs. 1 to5,.10 represents a portionxof the shaft to which is secured by means-of a set screw 11 the hub portion or spider 12 of the combined loose pulley and clutch. This spider may, of course, be constructed in various ways, but in this case it is provided with an inner hub 13 which projects in this case in the one direction only for a purpose to appear later, and radial heads 15, the outer surfaces of which are turned concentrically with respect to the axis of the shaft. Connected to the heads 15 of the spider arms 14, in this case by pins 16, is an expansible ring 17 which serves as a bearing for the pulley, and forms part ofthe clutch mechanism which clutches the spider and pulley together. This ring 17 is split or divided at 18, the free ends of the ring being spaced at short distance apart and being thickened or enlarged, as shown. It will be noted that 20 the pins 16 which connect the expansible ring 17' with the spider engage partly within the heads 15 of the spider and partly within the ring, so that while they form the driving connection between the spider arms and the ring, they permit the ring to be expanded by means to be referred to presently, and then to contact so that the pulley may rotate on f said ring. The pulley, which is designated as a whole by the reference character 19, is in the form of an oil reservoir or container and forms an inclosure for the oil and the bearing and working parts. This pulley or inclosure 19 includes a rim portion 20, the outer periphery of which is adapted to be engaged by a belt, or other driving means, and the inner periphery or surface of which is adapted to either turn loosely on the outer surface of the ring 17 to be clutched to the spider by said ring. The pulley also includes side portions 21 and 22, the former being in this case integral with the rim and the latter being in the form of a removable plate or disk which is normally fastened to the rim by means of screws 23. The plate 21 extends inwardly about the shaft and has a shaft opening which is slightly larger than the shaft so that it will not engage the same. This side plate 21 is provided on its inner side and near the shaft with a lateral flange or hub 24 which surrounds and is spaced from the hub 13 of the spider and the inner surface of which is inclined inwardly and away from the shaft. The plate 21 isalso provided between this flange 24 and the shaft with an inwardly extending flange 25 having the shaft opening previously referred to, and beveled or inclined inwardly and away from the shaft, leaving between it and the end of the spider hub an annular oil recess 26, fromwhich the oil is adapted to be thrown by centrifugal force outwardly along the beveled face of the flange 25. The

opposite side portion or side 22 is provided with a centrally located opening slightly larger than the shaft opening in the side portion 21, this opening being large enough to accommodate the clutch sleeve 27 which is adapted to be slid axially on the shaft and to have its inner end enter the oil inclosure and is provided about the sleeve 27 or at its inner periphery with two annular inwardly return openings 31 which communicate withthe annular recess 30. The expansible clutch and bearing ring 17 is adapted to be spread soas to clutch the spider and pulley together by means of the sleeve 27 as previously referred to and by means of a pair of clutch fingers or arms 32 having outer end portions WhlCh extend into the opening 18 between the free ends of the ring 17 and inwardly extending portions which extend on opposite sides of the shaft and are adapted to be engaged and spread apart by the tapered inner end of the sleeves 27. These arms 32 are loosely or pivotally connected to the enlarged and constitutes a fulcrum about which said.

fingers move when the ring is being spread, the pins 33 moving outwardly-or away from each other so as to spread the ring by this movement of the fin ers. The arms 32 may be provided at their inner ends with set screws 32 which may be adjusted to take up any wear between the ring and the pulley rim. Although the construct-ion of the side portions of the pulley about the shaft and sleeve 27 in such that oil cannot escape along the shaft or sleeve for the reasons to be referred to presently, I prefer to employ as an additional safeguard against the escape of oil at the sleeve opening a substantially circular plate or guard 35 which is arranged on the interior of the pulley at the side which is entered by the sleeve and has a shape such that it fits closely into the expansible ring and moves therewith. .This plate 35 is provided with a central opening slightly larger that the sleeve 27 so as not to interfere with the free movement of.the latter. The function of this plate 35 is to assist in the prevention of the loss or escape of oil along the surface of the sleeve due to splashing or churning of oil in the inclosure. Normally or when the ring 17 is not expanded, the pulley turns loosely on the outer surface of the ring, the adjacent surfaces of the ring and pulley being very effectively lubricated by the oil which is supplied to the inclosure through an oil opening normally closed by a plug-36. A satisfactoryclutch the spider and pulley together, the

sleeve 27 is moved-inward, thereby spreading the inner portions of the fingers 32 and expanding the rin 17 so as to cause practically all portions 0 its outer surface to bear against and grip the inner surface of the pulley rim, with the result that the pulley and spider are clutched together with little danger of relative slipping. The escape of oil through the shaft openings in the side portions ofthe pulley is prevented in a very effective manner, while the device 'is used either as a loose pulley or as a clutch by the particular construction about, the shaft openmgs. Any oil which enters the oil recesses 26 and about the shaft 10 and sleeve 27 respectively is thrown'outwardly or away from; the shaft into the inclosure along the inclined surfaces of the flanges 25 and 24 onone side of the pulley and through the oil return openings 31 which communicate with the recess 30. By providing clearance spaces of the proper amount between the sides of the pulleyand the shaft and sleeve respectively, the oil' which tends to ass outwardly alon the shaft attaches itself to the sides and is then returned to the outer portion of the inclosure in the manner above stated, and the escape of oil is prevented much more effectively than if the sides of the pulley bear on the shaft orsleeve.

In the modification shown in Figs. 6, 7

and 8, the pulley and clutch includes an oil inclosure, and the bearing surfaces of the L device when serving as a loose pulley are located at the outer portion of the spider or in the midst of the oil, as in the construction first described. 'In these figures, the

' spider which is designated as a whole by the reference character 40, includes a hub 41 which may be secured to the shaft 10 in any suitable manner and arms 42 provided at their outer ends with enlargements 43 which are turned concentrically 'with respect to the axis of the shaft. The pulley which is designated as a whole by the reference character 44 includes a rim portion 45, the inner surface of which is normally supported and has a bearing, in thiscase, directly on the outer ends 43 of the spider arms. The pulley also includes side portions 46 and 47 the former being integral .withvthe rim and the latter being in the form of a disk or plate which is secured to the rim by screws 48.

' The side 46 of the pulley is provided on the inner side and near-the shaft with a boss or flange 49 which has a shaft opening rotation.

slightly larger than the shaft 10, and tapers inwar y and away from the shaft, the inner portion of the flange- 49 overhanging but being spaced from the hub of the spider and there being an annular oil pocket or recess 50 between the end of the. spider and the outer portion of the shaft 0 ning. The side '47 of the pulley has a sha opening larger than the opening in the side 46 so that it may accommodate a clutch sleeve 51 which is similar to the sleeve 27 of the first construction andis desi ned to enter the sideof the of; the opening in the side 47, and the inner edge or periphery of the side 47 adjacent the sleeve is tapered inwardly andraway from the sleeve. By providing tapered constructions at the inner portions of the :sides 46 'and'47, and by leaving small clearance spaces between these sides and-the shaft and sleeve respectively, oil which would tend to pass outward along the shaft and sleeve, attaches itself to the inclined or beveled surfaces and isthen thrown to the interior of the inclosure by the revolving pulley. In this manner, the

escape of oil is prevented. Normally, the

pulley turns loosely on'the outer ends of the spider arms and although large bearing sur- I faces are. provided, as in the first case, the frictional losses are very small, .in view of the fact that the bearing surfaces are located in the midst of the oil when the pulley is in The pulley and spider are designed to be clutchedtogether in this instance by means of the sleeve 51, and by meanstof a nuniber of L-shaped fingers or levers 52 which are pivoted by pins 53 to extensions on the heads 43 of part of the spider arms, these fingers having inwardly proj ecting portions 54 which are normally located adjacent the spider hub and are designed to be engaged'and spread'by the sleeve '51 and portions 55 which are} adapted to be movedoutwardly so as to tightly engage the inner surface of the pulley rim so as to cause the pulley rim and spider to be clutched together. It will be seen therefore that the particular form of clutching means maybe varied considerably, Whilestill employing cludes the self-oiling combined clutch and pulley in the form of an oil inclosure. with the bearing surfaces at the outer. portion 1. In combination with a shaft, a com-.

115. "the main feature of the invention which inbined clutch and loose pulley comprising a pulley and an annular member'fixed to 'the shaft and designed to loosely support the to be clutched thereto, said pulley including a rim and side walls which extend inwardly toward the shaft so as to fornrwlth the r m an inclosure adapted to contain a quantlty of oil, the inner face of the rim constituting the bearing surface of the pulley which is lubricated when turning loosely on said member by theoil which is thrown outlwardly by centrifugal force, and clutchin means carried by said annular member an adapted to be moved outward 'so as to en-' gage the inner face of the rim. 1

2. In combination with a shaft, a combined clutch and loose pulley-comprising a pulley and an inner member fixed to the shaft and serving as a bearing to loosely support the pulley at the rim thereof or to be clutched thereto, said pulley including a rim and inclosing sidewalls forming, a

chamber adapted to contain a uantity of oil which is thrown outwardly y centrifugal. force, when the pulley is in rotation,

onto and between thebearing surfaces, and means carried by said inner member adapted to be moved outwardly so as to friction-.

ally engage the inner face of the pulley rim and thereby clutch the pulley and inner member together.

3. In combination with a shaft, a combined clutch and loose pulleycomprising a pulley and spider designed to loosely support the pulley at the rim thereof and be clutched thereto, said pulley including a rim and inclosing side walls forming a chamber adapted to contain a quantity of oil, the inner face of the pulley rim constituting the bearing surface of the pulley which is therefore lubricated byoil thrown outwardly by centrifugal force, the side walls of the pulley having openings through which the shaft loosely extends without engaging the side walls and provided at said openings about the shaft with means for collecting the oil which tends to pass .through said openings and for causing the same to be thrown to the interior of the chamber by centrifugal force, and clutching means carried by said spider adapted to be moved outwardly so as to engage the inner face of the pulley rim.

4. In combination with a shaft, a combined clutch and loose dpulley com rising a pulley, and a spider esigned to oosely support the pulley and to be clutched thereto, said ulley includin a rim and side walls which form with t e rim a chamber adapted to contain a quantity of oil, the inner face of the rim forming the bearing surface for the pulley which is lubricated when turning loosely on the s ider by the oil which is thrown outward y'to the rim b centrifugal force, the side walls-of the pn ley 'havlng openings' through which the shaft loosely extends and being provided about the shaft with inwardly extendin flanges, means for clutching-the spider an pulley together comprising clutching means I ed to contain a quantity of oil and com rising a rim and closing side walls provided 'with openings through which the shaft loos'ely extends, the pulley being supported solely by said spider and having a bearing surface on the inner face of the rim, means for clutching the spider and pulley together comprising clutching means carried by the spider and adapted to engage the inner face of the pulley rim, and a'sleeve which loosely enters the opening in one of the side walls and actuates the clutching means, one of the side walls having at its inner periphery an annular inwardly extending portion which is adjacent to the shaft, and the other side wall having an annular inwardly extendin portion which is adjacent to the sleeve, sai

portions serving to stop the outward passage of oil along the surfaces of the shaft 'pulley, in the form of an oil inclosure adaptand sleeve respectively, and to return the w oil into the inclosure.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

SYLVESTER L. MoADAMS. Witnesses:

- H. R. SULLIVAN,

A. F. KwIs. 

